Lin Chen's cold snort landed like a heavy hammer on Huo Yuanjun's heart. The crushing pressure made him cough up a mouthful of blood. His body trembled with a mix of fear and jealousy, paralyzed, crumpling to the floor.
Xiao Yang had completely lost his nerve. He was a Grade Eight grandmaster, yet he had been stomped underfoot in a single exchange.
And Chen Fanghong, a Grade Nine grandmaster, was even more powerful. As elite members of the War Division, their strength far surpassed that of ordinary martial masters.
Yet now, in front of Lin Chen, they couldn't even lift a finger to fight back.
The oppressive force they felt—was even stronger than what they felt before Marshal Jiang himself.
"You two were just following orders and have fought many years for Dragon Nation. So, I'll give you one last chance," Lin Chen said coldly, his eyes locked on Xiao Yang. "Tell me—what do you know about the Lin family incident?"
The words hit Xiao Yang like a death sentence. His mental defenses completely collapsed.
"I'll talk!" Xiao Yang said, trembling. "It wasn't me who did it. It was a group of mysterious experts… I don't even know where they came from. All I know is that Marshal Jiang once said they belonged to an ancient faction."
"He gave strict orders forbidding us from probing further. The more you know, the faster you die. Even Marshal Jiang fears them."
Lin Chen's brow furrowed. Xiao Yang's words revealed just enough to spark his curiosity.
"What mysterious faction? Say everything you know!"
Xiao Yang's body trembled even harder. "I—I only saw the leader once. He had a unique symbol tattooed on the back of his neck. I'd never seen it before... Marshal Jiang warned us not to ask questions. I swear, that's all I know."
Lin Chen's gaze turned colder, like Death itself.
"You don't know? Or you don't have the qualifications to know? Still—did you personally take part in the massacre? Answer me honestly!"
Xiao Yang looked like he was going to faint. He shook his head like a rattle drum.
"No! Absolutely not! I never took part! I only overheard Marshal Jiang mention it..."
Lin Chen grunted and finally lifted his foot. "For your service to Dragon Nation, I'll spare your lives today."
"But tell Jiang Feng this—either come here to die, or clean his neck and wait for me to take his head."
With that, he kicked Xiao Yang hard in the gut, sending him flying toward Chen Fanghong.
Boom!
They collided and both spat out blood. Their injuries were serious—their dantians shattered, their cultivation ruined.
"Get lost."
Though Lin Chen spared their lives, he wouldn't let them walk away unpunished. With their martial power crippled, the two dared not utter a word in protest. They struggled to their feet, dragged the paralyzed Huo Yuanjun into the elevator, and fled.
As the elevator doors closed, Lin Chen stood in silence, piecing together a web of suspicion.
"Jiang Feng... since you're handing me clues, I'll take everything you've got."
He Ling breathed a sigh of relief. Had anything happened to Lin Chen, she wouldn't have known what to do.
"Mr. Lin, my grandfather is helping investigate. I'll do everything I can too."
"This matter can't be rushed. They came for you today without official documents. The Tiger Guard won't report this—they can't afford the consequences."
"If you had killed them, they would've had a reason to escalate. That would've made things much more complicated."
Lin Chen saw the worry in He Ling's eyes and smiled lightly. "Don't worry, I know my limits. As for the Tiger Guard—I'll handle them."
"When I uncover the truth, not a single one of the guilty will escape."
…
Far in the Northern Frontier, within a heavily guarded mountain estate, resided Jiang Feng—the Marshal of the Northern Command.
This was Tiger Guard territory.
"You said… both of you were crippled?!"
Dressed in a black sable robe, Jiang Feng stared out the window in disbelief. He couldn't comprehend what he'd just heard.
He had sent two of his top commanders—absolute elites within the Tiger Guard. How could they fail?
And to think it was all against a disgraced son of the Lin family—a man who spent five years in prison!
"He… he asked me to deliver a message," the caller said, voice shaking. "He said… you can either come and die, or wait for him to take your head."
Jiang Feng's hands trembled with rage.
Crash!
With a roar, he smashed the table beside him into splinters.
"Trash! Useless trash!"
"A petty criminal dares talk to me like this? Challenge me?"
"Fine! Let's see if he lives long enough to say that to my face!"
But as his rage faded, Jiang Feng realized something didn't add up.
The two commanders were peak masters—even in Yancheng, few could stand against them.
How could they lose so easily?
Something was wrong. This Lin Chen must've acquired some great opportunity. The Liang family must have concealed the truth about his power.
"Hmph! Even if you've reached the peak of the grandmaster realm, the only outcome waiting for you—is death!"
…
While He Ling handled company matters, Lin Chen returned home alone.
He needed answers from his grandfather.
"Grandpa, I think someone targeted the Lin family to find something. Do we have anything in the house that could attract that kind of attention?"
"Do we have some sort of treasure?"
The old man furrowed his brows, deep in thought.
"We do have antiques and calligraphy pieces, some worth millions. A blue-and-white porcelain vase—I bought that for 300 million. Is that what you mean?"
Lin Chen shook his head.
"No, that's not it. 300 million isn't enough to justify what they did. Even 10 or 100 billion wouldn't be worth the risk. There must be something special—something unique to our family."
"If someone dared move against the Lin family, it must've been over something far more significant. Try to think—what else could it be?"
The old man remained silent for a long while, then suddenly slapped his thigh.
"There is something—something priceless!"
"What is it?" Lin Chen asked urgently.
"It's something your father brought back. It belonged to your mother."
The mention of his mother made Lin Chen pause. "From the Lu family?"
"Yes," the old man nodded. "It's stored in a golden nanmu box. From what I remember, it looks like a painting. I never opened it."
A painting from the Lu family?
Lin Chen narrowed his eyes. He remembered his mother telling him that she had once been engaged to a powerful family in the capital. She had run away to avoid a political marriage, eventually meeting his father.
That break led to her falling out with the Lu family. But she had many treasures—and this painting was among the most precious.
He had never seen it, nor did he know what it depicted.
But now, he would find it—and uncover the truth.